


People are Cruel

by zizira



Category: South Park
Genre: Dialogue Heavy, Fluff, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, M/M, Self-Esteem Issues, left it pretty open ended i think, not necessarily shippy?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-17
Updated: 2018-06-17
Packaged: 2019-05-24 12:37:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14954831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zizira/pseuds/zizira
Summary: It wasn’t a secret that South Park was home to some of the cruelest assholes you could ever know.  On the contrary, it was a given when you came to this town; they may as well have added it to the welcome sign at the city limit.  “Welcome to South Park; Home of a Bunch of Redneck Dickwads”.





	People are Cruel

                It wasn’t a secret that South Park was home to some of the cruelest assholes you could ever know.  On the contrary, it was a given when you came to this town; they may as well have added it to the welcome sign at the city limit.  “Welcome to South Park; Home of a Bunch of Redneck Dickwads”.

                Or at least, that’s what Kenny McCormick surmised about his hometown.  This of course grouped him in with the redneck dickwads as well, not that he minded that.  With his lineage, he reasoned that most would fit him into that category quite easily, in spite of any input of his own volition.  It was fairly pointless to contend with public opinion of the McCormicks, especially as a McCormick, so Kenny quietly endured his disreputable status in the interest of keeping the peace.  In a town full of so many ready to pull apart a person’s every fault, any chance to dissociate from a presumed defect would be invariably taken advantage of.  If Kenny could be accepted as the aloof bastard rather than the poor kid with useless drug-addicts for parents, he’d take it.  The inhabitants of South Park were vultures and he surely was not about to feed them by showing weakness.

                But regardless of the personality he chose to exude during the day to dissuade the unrelenting jackasses, public opinion did nothing to warm him when the thin, poorly constructed walls of his home did nothing to hold in heat, or feed him when nothing but cheap beer lined the shelves of the fridge that refused to stay closed without a bungee cord strapped around it, or his parents were up in the wee hours of the night hurling slurred abuse at one another.

                This is what drove him to the cold, empty streets on a nightly basis, ready to face the numbing chill of the silent mountain air rather than the biting one of his own household that only ever seemed to be heated by tempers reaching their boiling point.  Kenny had, always had, checked on Karen before his nightly excursions.  His younger sister had been thankfully blessed with an ability to fall asleep and stay asleep in spite of her chaotic surroundings.  Kenny was not so lucky.  But life was always giving him the short end of the stick, so why would it stop now?

                On this particular night, Kenny trudged through the streets aimlessly.  His black sneakers turned grey with age and wear crunched heavily through the snow, already soaked through by the ankle-deep powder melting down into his socks.  Heavy breaths hung visibly in the air before trailing behind him as he went along, blue eyes squinted against the nipping wind.  Eventually, he came across a light beckoning him from the darkness.  His expression softened somewhat at the welcome sight.  Kenny hastened his pace as he sped towards the house down the street and hoped for welcoming and warmth.

                Reaching the brown house, he rounded it to reach the backyard where he could see the window where the light that alerted him was coming from.  Kenny regarded the façade of the house carefully as he scrapped the bottom of his ratty shoe along his own leg to kick off the slick slush caked into the tread.  As much as a deadly tumble was sure to knock him out for the night, that wasn’t his goal for tonight if he could help it.

                Kenny managed to reach the ledge of the window emitting a soft glow through the gaps between thick curtains.  Hanging carefully from the ledge, he paused for a moment with his fist raised to the frosty glass.  Moments like these are when Kenny _really_ wished he had a phone, the recipient of his visit was not going to appreciate this…

                He rapped on the glass twice and was greeted by a muffled shriek from within followed by loud fretting.  He couldn’t make out his host’s words through the thick window pane.  Kenny grumbled to himself,

                “C’mon dude, I have no clue how long I can just hang on here when I can’t even feel my fingers…!”  After what felt like an eternity, the curtains gave a shudder of movement before being yanked apart, revealing wide hazel eyes filled with fright.  Kenny’s lips twitched upwards into a smirk as the boy on the other side of the glass gave a shriek and threw himself backwards into his bed.  The boy’s eye twitched as they swept back over Kenny, recognition dawning and he tugged on his messy blond hair.  He dove back forward to fidget with the mechanism locking the window before wrenching it open.

                “Jesus!  I thought you were an abductor!  You know that’s happened before, Kenny! They almost got me!  Get in here, oh god, you could’ve broken your neck.”  Kenny reached out and caught Tweek’s outstretched hand so he could be pulled inside the room.  Kenny was launched forward as Tweek practically threw him face first into the rumpled but warm dark green comforter atop his bed.  The taller blonde took a moment to nuzzle his frozen face into the toasty blankets, allowing him to be enveloped by the scent of coffee and sweat.

                “What’re you doing opening your window for potential abductors then?” Kenny teased, voice obscured by the thick covers.  He laughed openly when he received a rough jab to his side in return and flipped over to face a pouting Tweek.

                “W-well, wouldn’t it be a little dumb for an abductor to wear neon orange in the middle of the night?  Unless the abductor was a traffic cone come to life… Oh jeez--!” Tweek trailed off, squeezing his slightly down-turned eyes shut tightly as his anxieties carried him off into some scenario with inanimate objects coming to life and stealing him away in the night.  Kenny’s laughter faded out but the fond smile remained.

                “A traffic cone, huh?  Well, anything to catch your eye.”  Tweek let out a small huff as he collapsed next to Kenny face down, groaning as he ran his fingers through his own hair.  Kenny was answered only by unintelligible grumbling and chuckled as he observed the shaking boy next to him.  He smoothed his palm in a soothing manner over the other boy’s flinching shoulder, feeling the sharp protrusion of various bones quivering beneath him.  Despite being significantly better off financially than Kenny, Tweek still was the slimmer of the two.  He was all bones save for the soft swell of his stomach that proved he was fed.  Somehow, the weight just never made it to the rest of him.

                “C’mon now, Tweekers; I’ll admit it is a bit hypocritical of me to say so, but I can’t hear you all mumbling and muffled like that.”  Tweek shot upwards to fix Kenny with a glare that was ultimately highly ineffective given the slight blush beginning to color his otherwise pale complexion.

                “You are a hypocrite!”  Kenny shrugged as his eyes drifted down to the other boy’s arms.  They were bared for once, as Tweek had removed his usual wrinkled button-down in favor of a light grey t-shirt that hung limply around his meager frame, and Kenny lost his roguish grin.  He let out a heavy sigh as he surveyed the band aids crisscrossing Tweek’s limbs, the colorful bandages stark against his pallid skin.  Peeking out from the band aids Kenny could spot the red of irritation concentrated into lines racing up and down his arms.

                “Dude, we talked about this; I thought you said were going to cool it with scratching up your arms.”  The slender boy tucked his legs under himself as he replied,

                “I’m trying! It’s just-ngh-hard…” The boy’s hazel eyes fell towards his lap where he wrung his hands.

                “Maybe it’s time for me to wrap you up nice and tight with some bubble wrap; you’re covered in band aids,” Kenny said, much to Tweek’s chagrin.

                “You’re still being a hypocrite,” Tweek groaned.  “You’ve always got a band aid across your nose.  I don’t get why you’ve always got it in the same place…”

                “To cover up the bump in it,” Kenny blurted out unthinkingly.  He itched the back of his neck as he continued, “It never really healed right after I broke it before.”  It’s way too easy to be honest around the twitchy blond.

                “But that’s the best part!”  Tweek let out a squeak after his outburst and slapped his hand over his mouth, suddenly looking sheepish.  Kenny raised an eyebrow, his lip twitching up a bit at the corner.

                “Oh?”  Tweek slowly lowered his hand from his face began chewing on his lower lip, peeling away at the chapped skin with his teeth.  Despite his best efforts, Kenny still couldn’t get him to kick the habit of biting his lips til they bled, although it admittedly did occur less frequently.

                “I-it’s just that…I mean…  You’re perfect just like you are, you know?” Tweek grimaced as he slowly picked through his own words.

                “Aw, Tweekers, you think I’m perfect?” Kenny grinned openly now as Tweek’s cheeks darkened and he started to sputter.

                “No! I-I mean, you’re just really pretty! E-everyone thinks you’re really pretty!  You know?!  Everyone knows you got really pretty eyes, a-and your cute nose—everyone thinks it’s cute, not just me!  Ahh-!” Tweek drew in a ragged breath and curled into himself, pulling at his hair again, this time hard enough to make Kenny wince.

                “Tweeky, don’t do that.”  Kenny reached up to attempt to remove Tweek’s fingers from his hair, placing his hand gently over Tweek’s.  He ran his calloused fingertips along the distinct blues and greens of veins that bulged prominently from the back of Tweek’s hand.  He continued gently, “It’s okay; I’m honestly really flattered that you’d say that.”  Kenny felt the clenched fingers beneath his own loosen as Tweek answered meekly,

                “No need to be flattered, man…  You should know people think you’re… good looking.  I mean, I hear about it all the time…”  Kenny blinked owlishly at the scrawny boy, observing him.  He drew his tongue along his top lip thoughtfully before asking slowly,

                “What do you mean by that?  Why’re they telling you that I’m pretty?”

                “I mean, well… They just don’t get why you’d hang around _me_ ; that’s all.”

                Kenny knew that their shitty little town was home to some lowly scum; bullies would always be a given.  He’d heard the remarks directed at Tweek in passing.  But now they were telling him that he wasn’t good enough to hang out with Kenny?  Because they thought Kenny was better looking than Tweek?  Kenny had never felt more infuriated by the people he was forcefully surrounded by.  Apparently it showed on his face as a nervous whine brought him out of his own thoughts.

                “Oh, jesus—“ Tweek wheezed, “Are you pissed?  You look pissed.  Oh god, I’m sorry I made you mad!” Kenny cut him off quickly.

                “You didn’t make me mad, dude.  The assholes who feel like they have a say in who I like to be around did.”

                “I mean, they’re not really telling you to stop hanging out with me.  They just figure you’d have someone other than an ugly spaz to hang around.”  The cold, forced laugh from Tweek struck an icy blow straight through Kenny’s chest.  Almost falling over himself, he reached forward and grasped Tweek’s frail shoulders.

                “What’re you going saying that for?” he asked apprehensively.  His voice lowered into a disbelieving growl, “If someone’s called you that, I’m going to kick their ass.”  Tweek shook his shoulders free from his grip.

                “Don’t beat anybody up!  N-nobody’s said that specifically, but well that’s what they mean, right?  I mean, that’s what I am, anyway…”  Kenny’s azure eyes flashed with indignation, but he quickly let out his rage in a slow exhale through the nose, not wanting to give Tweek the wrong idea about who he was mad at.  Besides, there were obviously more pressing matters than which assholes were getting added to his shit list.

                “Listen to me, Tweek.” Kenny spoke levelly, weighing each word with undoubted certainty.  “You aren’t ugly, you’re not a spaz, and I like hanging out with you.  Fuck what anyone else says.  They’re all idiots.”  Tweek worried his lower lip between his teeth as he snorted in reply,

                “Easy for you to say; you’re still the pretty one here.”  Kenny’s brow furrowed.

                “Sure, there are a couple people who go weak for a pair of blue eyes, especially when it’s all they see.  I’m still not most people’s cup of tea.  And I’m cool with that.  Looks don’t mean shit.”  He finished off with an indifference shrug.  He quirked a brow at the squawk he was replied with.

                “But still there are people who think you’re pretty!”  Tweek groaned, “It’s a lot harder to just shrug it off when everyone thinks you’re gross!”  Kenny clicked his tongue and shook his head emphatically.

                “Don’t say that, Tweeky.  I know for a fact there’s at least one person who thinks you’re downright adorable.”  The corners of his eyes crinkled with fondness.

                “And who might that be, hm?” Tweek asked, disbelief apparent.

                “Me, of course,” Kenny grinned.   He was met by more groaning from his companion.

                “Don’t say stuff just to make me feel less shitty, dude.  That makes me feel-ugh-more shitty.”

                The grin quickly morphed into a pout.  “I’m not just saying stuff.  I mean, look at you!”  The corner of Tweek’s mouth twitched downward as he quirked his brow.

                “I don’t think I see your point,” he said gruffly.  Kenny scoffed,

                “You want a list?  You got it.  We can start off with your nose.  It’s so small and the way it turns up is super cute.”  Tweek narrowed his eyes and sniffed loudly.

                “Like a pig’s.”

                “Pigs are cute too,” Kenny smoothly intervened, “So you’re only helping prove my point.  And anyway, it’s all freckle-y, too.  You can’t deny freckles are cute.”

                “Kenny.”  He’s groaning again.  Always moaning and groaning when he’s stressing himself out.  “You’re the one with the one with the cute freckles.  Mine are just all over and mix in with all the acne.”  Kenny wouldn’t be dissuaded.

                “Cute freckles; and the way your nose crinkles up with you laugh really hard is absolutely adorable.”  Before he could be cut off again, Kenny rushed into his next point.  “And your eyes, goddamn Tweekers, they’re the prettiest things.  Hazel is just so unique and so you.  And the way they turn down at the corners, when you calm down for two seconds and give those peepers a break you just look so sleepy and relaxed; not shitting ya, Tweeky, you’ve got some sexy bedroom eyes.” As Tweek’s eyes grew wider and his cheeks bloomed with color, Kenny’s expression turned to one of giddiness.  “And there’s my favorite part.  The way you blush is so cute.  Your cheeks go so red.  I wonder, are you a full-body blusher?”

                “Okay, I get your point! You can stop!”  The boy griped, throwing his hands over his beet red face.  “Did you come here to embarrass me or what?”  Laughter bubbled up from Kenny’s chest, light with a fluttery feeling.

                “Nah, I figured we could both use a good night’s sleep.”

                As Kenny tried to ease Tweek into a more relaxed position, he realized he had been sitting on the bed this whole time still in his wet jeans and muddy sneakers.  Needless to say, the bedspread was filthy now.  Sheepishly, he helped Tweek strip the bed, who had merely shrugged at his mumbled apology.  The soiled comforter was thrown in a tangled heap off the foot of the bed and Kenny kicked off his ratty sneakers and peeled off his soaked socks.  As he was urged to also remove his dampened jeans, an impish grin ghosted across his face.

                “Tweek, you dog, trying to get me outta my pants now?”  The boy squealed in indignation, his cheeks burning a bright red once more.

                “Nevermind you can die of hypothermia; Idon’tcare!”  He threw himself face first into the sheets.  Kenny crawled in after him, inching carefully closer.

                “C’mon, I was just joking,” he cooed soothingly, “Let’s cuddle so neither of us will freeze.”  Kenny eased himself down, tucking himself close to Tweek’s side.  The other blond froze up, whining Kenny’s name in embarrassment.  Kenny snorted and began smoothing his hand over Tweek’s hair.  “I’m not trying to pull anything, promise.  Let’s go to sleep, okay, sweetheart?”  A wary hazel eye peeked out at him from the mess of frizzy blond, regarding him from a moment before he assented with a grunt, relaxing into Kenny’s side.

                He would never admit it, but he didn’t have to.  Kenny knew Tweek always slept better with him there.  And that would always make these freezing, late night treks across town worth it.

**Author's Note:**

> im not sure how i feel about this one but its up anyway!


End file.
